COURIER MAIL (Brisbane, Australia) 23 September 13 Eastern Brown Snake kills dog in Acacia Ridge, prompting warning from owner (Angela Ranke)
An Acacia Ridge woman is warning pet owners to be wary of snakes after her dog was killed this month by an Eastern Brown.
Judy Clarkson was in her yard raking up leaves with her border collie, Bonnie, by her side on September 12 when disaster struck.
"I just turned around because Bonnie is pretty much beside me wherever I am," she said. "By the time I turned around - she was only a few feet away - there was a massive Eastern Brown Snake in front of her.
"When I turned around she was backing away from it."
Ms Clarkson rushed Bonnie to the vet but she did not survive.
She believes her beloved pet saved her life.
"She was a rescue dog that I had for five years," she said.
"The love she showed me was unconditional. Gentle doesn't even begin to describe how placid, kind and big hearted Bonnie was."
Ms Clarkson urged people to be alert to the dangers of snakes.
"This is meant to be a warning to all pet owners and also children with the hot weather upon us and also the breeding season for snakes upon us, please, please be very wary of snakes."
Snake catcher Geoff Jacobs urged people to keep their gardens clean and tidy and teach their children simple lessons to protect themselves.
"Teach your children that you never get a ball out of a garden with your hand, use a stick to rake it out because it could be anything, any sort of snake lying there," he said.
"If they touch a snake and it's the wrong one that could be their last day. A baby Eastern Brown will kill two men with one bite."
Visit snakecatchers.com.au
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